WiFi networks, such as the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11n or 802.11ac networks, are now commonly used within the home. In addition to providing network connectivity to computing devices such as laptop computers and smartphones, these home networks can provide connectivity to various “smart” devices in the home, such as thermostats, water heaters, light control units, etc. To gain access to the home network, a new device generally must first be “provisioned.” Provisioning is a process by which a WiFi-enabled device obtains network credentials that enable secure connection to the home network. Once connected, the device can access various services, such as Internet service, through the WiFi access point (AP). As just one example, if a WiFi-enabled thermostat is connected to the home network, a home owner may use an application running on a smartphone to remotely control the temperature in his or her home via the Internet.
For conventional home networks, a user (e.g., home owner, home resident, etc.) typically must perform various actions to provision a WiFi-enabled device. A first, “microAP-based” technique may be used if a device to be connected supports a microAP mode in which the device can host its own WiFi network. With this technique, appropriate security credentials are used to associate a client (e.g., a laptop or other personal computer) with a wireless network hosted by the device to be provisioned/connected. Next, the user opens a web browser on the client and starts a provisioning web application. The user then views scan results provided by the device and selects the desired home network. Finally, the user provides the appropriate home network security credentials, and verifies that the device can connect to the home network.
A second technique, known as “WiFi Protected Setup” or “WPS,” may be used if both the AP of the home network and the device to be provisioned/connected support WPS-based provisioning. With WPS, a user must physically press a button on both the AP of the home network and the device. The two buttons must be pressed within a two minute time window, which may be inconvenient when the AP and the device are not in close proximity. Moreover, the button on the device to be provisioned/connected may not be easily accessible (e.g., if the device is a water heater).
For each of the two conventional techniques described above, the process generally must be repeated for each additional device that is provisioned and connected to the home network. As a result, provisioning numerous devices in the home can require a significant amount of time and effort.